Heater



L. w. MlLLlS July 5, 1927.

HEATER Filed Dec. 19. 1921 I INVENTOR. 1317272 7?- M1 112 s,

ATTORNEYS.

Patented July 5, 1927.

UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LINN W. MILLIS, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

HEATER.

Application filed December 19, 1921. Serial No. 523,326.

which soft coal and other low grade coal may be burned efficiently.

In order that the invention may be fully understood, reference will now be had to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional'view of that portion of a hot air furnace embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is abroken vertical section taken on line II of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a broken horizontal section taken on line IIIIII of Fig. 1.

Referring now in detail to the various parts, 2 designates the fire-pot into which the coal is discharged by an inclined magazine or chute 4, provided at its upper outer end with a door 6 having an air inlet valve 7. As disclosed by Fig. 1, the chute 4.- communicates only with the forward upper portion of the fire-pot 2.

8 designates a heat radiating chamber comn'iunicating at its lower end with the upper rear portion of the top 9 of the fire-pot and at its upper end with an outlet pipe 10 through which the products of combustion pass to the chimney, not shown. A deflector 11 is suspended in the chamber 8 from a transverse bar 13.

12 designates an ash pit underlying the firepot 2 and to which access is had through a door 14. The door 14: snugly fits against the front portion of the ash pit 12 and has no air inlet, an important feature of my invention being that air is taken only through the door 6, or the air inlet valve 7 16 designates a perforate shelf separating the forward lower portion of the fire-pot 2 from the ash pit 12. The perforations in the shelf 16 permit the ashes to pass through into the ash pit 12.

18 designates a division wall depending from the top 9 and separating the lower end of the magazine 4 from the radiator 8. Said division wall 18 also divides the top 9 into chambers 20 and 22.

The division wall 18 is, preferably, for strength, built in the form of an arch and its lower portion which is subjected to relatively high temperature consists, preferably, of refractory material such as fire-clay or fire-brick 24, supported by a metal arch 26, or otherwise fixed to the top 9. If preferred the wall 18 may be made in the form of a metal compartment for holding water to heat the same for domestic or other purposes. When a water holding compartment is not employed as suggested, it is'important to have a portion of the division wall 18 (the top portion in the present instance) exposed to the cooler air outside of the fire-pot 2, to

prevent destruction of said division Wall 18 bustion takes place more coal is added untilthe magazine 4 is filled to the desired depth. The rear portion of the mass of coal in the fire-pot 2 extends at an oblique angle as indicated at A, from the division wall 18 to the lower rear portion of said fire-pot 2, and in conjunction With said division wall 18, separates the chamber 20 from the chamber 22, so that. air entering the door 6 cannot pass into said chamber 22 without first intermingling with the flames caused by the burning of the coal along the inclined surface A.

By employing the foregoing construction great efficiency is had as only a comparatively small amount of fuel is in active combustion at one time and the temperature is practically constant and of such degree as to insure efficient combustion of the gases as they are liberated from the fuel. When a low fire is required less air is admitted and the volume of combustion, as far as possible, is lessened rather than the temperature of the flame, and when more fire is required the volume of combustion is increased without materially raising the temperature of the flame, the object being to keep the temperature of the latter at a high enough degree to prevent formation of soot, black smoke, etc. To obtain this result air in the proper quantity, is admitted through the door 6, or the air inlet valve 7, which on passing through the fuel in the magazine 4:,

becomes mixed With the more volatile Which act as a kindling for th less volatile gases and thus fulfill the important reqi'iirements of economical, even combustion, i. e., prompt ignition at liberation of the gases. A further advantage resides in the fact that after ignition takes place, the air and gases during the act of combustion tra I through the relatively long space from the surface, A, to the radiator 8, so that an'iple time and room-is had for e'liicient combusactive combustio but the temperature of the remainln' is su'iiicient to ignite the distilled so that the loss usually occurring "from un. nit- (1! ed gases of d stillation are reduced to a minimum and the heater Will give off sufiicient heat for all ordinary purposes.

By feeding the coal through the magazine 4, Which is not directly in contact with the hot combustion chamber 22, the coal supply is not highly heated until it reaches the combustion zone, and by admitting air only through the feed door 6, or valve 7, combustion in said magazine is prevented.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

In a heater of the character described, a fire-pothaving a top, a lire resistant Wall depending trom said top and dividing the upper portion of the fire-pot into two chambers, a fuel magazine communicating with one of said chambers, means for admitting air to said magazine, and a radiator comnunicating Withthe other chamber and spaced from said magazine to leave an air space above said fire reslstant Wall.

In testimony Wl'lQIGOClI I a'flix my signature.

LINN W. MILLIS. 

